As a kid I never much cared for parsnips. My dad was wild about them, but I was unmoved, figuring that if they were white and ended in “-nip,” they must somehow be related to turnips. And I was definitely not a fan of turnips.

It was Julia Child who turned me around. One time at a live demo she made a parsnip puree and I was blown away. There was no confusing this sweet, nutty, velvety puree with a stinky turnip.

How'd she do it? By reserving the liquid in which she cooked the parsnips, boiling it down until it became syrupy, then adding it back to the pureed parsnips. This greatly decreases the wateriness that typically afflicts non-starchy vegetables when they're pureed. Indeed, it thickens the puree. And it amps the flavor, too.

This recipe is my adaptation of Julia's original. The biggest change was to reduce the amount of butter quite a bit. I never tell my guests what it is when I serve it. Afterward, without fail, they tell me how much they loved the mashed potatoes. I love enlightening them.

Nutritional yeast is an ingredient used in many vegetarian recipes because it's a source of protein and B vitamins.It adds a nutty, cheesy flavor to many dishes such as casseroles and gratins.Another common use is to sprinkle the yeast on popcorn and cooked vegetables.It's yellowish in color and sold in flake or powder form.Nutritional yeast is similar to brewer's yeast: Both come from the same strain of yeast and are used as nutritional supplements.But brewer's yeast is a byproduct of beer-making, according to the Cook's Thesaurus, and that's what makes it bitter. So don't substitute one for the other.And don't confuse nutritional yeast with yeast used in baking.If you're new to nutritional yeast, try this Mac and Cheese-Style Cauliflower recipe.<B>Mac and Cheese Style Cauliflower8 heaping cups cauliflower florets2 tablespoons butter or margarine1 shallot, peeled, minced2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced3 tablespoons all-purpose flour2 cups 1 percent low-fat milk2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese½ cup nutritional yeast, optional1 pinch cayenne pepper2 egg yolks1 ½ cups fresh bread crumbs or panko bread crumbsFresh chopped parsley or snipped chives for garnish, optional </B>Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Coat the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and boil 5 to 7 minutes or until just tender. Drain and reserve 1 cup cooking liquid; set aside.In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat.Add shallot and garlic and sauté about 2 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.Whisk in milk and ½ cup of the reserved cooking liquid; cook 7 to 10 minutes or until sauce is thickened, whisking constantly.If the sauce is too thick at this point, add more of the reserved cooking liquid.Remove from heat and stir in cheese, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper and egg yolks until cheese is melted. Fold in cauliflower.Spread cauliflower mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Spray bread crumbs with cooking spray.Bake 30 minutes or until casserole is hot and bubbly and bread crumbs are crisp and brown.Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or chives, if desired.Adapted from Vegetarian Times magazine, January/February 2012 issue. Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

<B>2 pounds medium parsnips, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thickKosher salt, to taste1 tablespoon unsalted butterGround black pepper, to taste </B>Place the parsnips in a large saucepan, then add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch.Bring to a boil over high heat and add a pinch of salt.Reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer, adding a little more water if necessary to keep the parsnips barely covered, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.Drain and reserve the cooking liquid.Set the parsnips aside and return the liquid to the pan. Bring to a boil over high heat.Boil until reduced to 3/4 cup.Return the parsnips to the pan and add the butter.Working in batches, transfer the contents of the saucepan to a food processor and puree until smooth.Return to the saucepan, season with salt and pepper, then heat over medium until hot.